VIPs cook ‘royal’ bubur lambuk
KEPALA BATAS: Folk at the Darul Hanan care centre were treated to an authentic royal recipe of bubur lambuk that few have tasted.
The recipe, which comes from the Pahang palace, was used to whip up the savoury porridge for the home’s 70 residents.
It took two large pots, each containing 10kg of rice mixed with a smorgasbord of herbs and ingredients.
“There are Spanish mackerel (tenggiri), prawns, chicken and beef in it.
“It calls for herbs we have never used before like pucuk paku merah, midin leaves, turmeric leaves, wild pepper leaves, star gooseberry (cekur manis) and many more,” said an impressed Datuk Jahara Hamid, the centre’s chairman and Penang’s former opposition leader.
Jahara said Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar was scheduled to join in but could not make it following the passing of former Sultan of Pahang, Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’adzam Shah.
“We decided to go ahead and not disappoint the folk here,” Jahara said, adding that the Pahang palace supplied the recipe.
Among those who helped keep the delicious preparation stirring for over an hour yesterday was Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
She was helped by her deputy in the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman and Penang Women, Family Development and Gender Inclusiveness Committee chairman Chong Eng.
Jahara hopes more visitors will drop by the centre to spend time with its 22 male and 48 female residents.
“We have physiotherapy, spa, gym, farms and gardens here, with 28 staff members. But all the resort-like facility in this quiet place is no match for human cheers and laughter, and the old folk need more company to share stories with,” she said, adding that the RM1.1mil annual expenses of the home are supported by Penang Zakat Management Centre.
After a tour of the centre, Dr Wan Azizah said the government would look into upgrading the massage chairs and help it get lawn-mowing equipment to save the cost of hiring outsiders to do the job.
The centre, built by Yayasan Bukhary, started in 2010 and houses up to 200 residents.